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CLAW JULY OPEN SWIM RECAP #1

Stowe — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 19:59:16 +0000

Last night CLAW hosted another absurdly entertaining Open Swim meeting. The B-Movie themed poster contest was well received… producing such never ran movies as Dino-riding Werewolves From Beyond Space, I Married an Alien Squid, ANTS! and Hirsute Cartoonist Overtakes T-Town (seen here). CLAW also welcomed our twelfth member Shawn Clayton with the first musical member initiation ceremony EVER!!!

Stowe's Co-Winning B-Movie Poster from the Open Swim

Brill's Co-Winning B-Movie Poster from the Open Swim

Other entries include:

Monlux's attempt at B-Movie Poster from the Open Swim

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RR’s “Aliens vs. Pet Detective vs. Predator”

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Debivan’s FREDO PLANET

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B-Movie Themed Open Swim

MarkMonlux — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 14:43:04 +0000

Classic Attack of the 50 Foot Woman Movie Poster

Once again The CLAW will be holding its Open Swim on the fourth Wednesday of the month, July 28th at 7:30pm at The Mandolin Café, located at 3923 South 12th Street
Tacoma, WA 98405-1508. Look for the secret gathering behind the French doors just to the left of the stage. Dress for the heat. This month’s them is “B-Movie Posters You Wish Existed”. The challenge is to pitch your idea for the greatest B-Movie ever to our stellar room filled with studio executives. You will have just over an hour to create a poster comp to support your one-minute pitch.
The CLAW Enters the Man Cave of the Northwest Convergence Zone

Mark Monlux, Big D, Double D, Wonderboy, Electric Elliot and Adam Botsford in The Man Cave

Every Sunday, Big D, Double D, Wonderboy, Big Joe and Squeeze post a podcast that keeps the South Sound up to date on all that is happening in Tacoma’s musical and pop-culture scene. After Big D saw The CLAW host Tacoma’s 100 Monkeys, he just knew that they needed to be guests on the show. So on Sunday, July 15th The CLAW (represented by Elliot (Electric Elliot) Trotter, Adam Botsford and Mark Monlux) entered the Man Cave of The Northwest Convergence Zone.

Check out the podcast at http://nwconvergencezone.com/wordpress/2010/07/the-boys-have-a-secret-meeting-with-c-l-a-w-and-talk-with-the-falcons/

Scholarship Winner 2010

RR Anderson — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 20:48:22 +0000

ARISE: Amelia Davis, young cartoonist of the future!

Every year The CLAW selects one lucky “at risk youth” (at risk of being seriously awesome) and awards them the YOUNG CARTOONIST OF THE FUTURE Scholarship consisting of a over-sized novelty check for photographic purposes and a large sum of money. This year The CLAW was able to AWARD $370 dollars to Ms. Amelia Davis, an art student at Cogswell Polytechnical College in Sunnyvale, California.

While Amelia tries to eat her novelty check, why don’t you browse her inventory of amazing illustration art here at http://lupis-fox.deviantart.com/ Yes!!!! Excelsior!

Learn more about the CLAW scholarship and see past winners here.

Secret Meeting Notes July 2010

RR Anderson — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 09:28:41 +0000

Meeting is called to order. SECRET CLAW OPENING RITUAL: What are Robots? Robots are Cool. Zombies Must Die! Shoot ‘em in the head. [One CLAP] Ceci nes pas une pipe. [Rotate Self 3 Times]

Old Business

CLAW vs. the World Bowling Challenge . . . ?
Non Profit Status? Mark Monlux is much to busy to do the paperwork.

New Business

Adopt Amocat as new Open Swim meeting space – RR tasked with talking our way in there.
CLAW online store – So far only RR has posted anything
STAN SHAW REPORT – motion to taunt professional Tacoma cartoonist Stan Shaw PASSED.
Beautiful Angle Local Currency project – limbo. Motion to pester Lance exponentially in September PASSED.
Tacoma Art Museum – members committed to July 31st CLAW team-up with Frost Park Community Chalk Militia to bring chalk art to dead concrete of TAM. Passed.
FeedTacoma.com Comics Page – Members discussed picking a day to post their comic strip. New members are still thinking of new strip ideas.
Agreed to appear on PODCAST: Northwest Convergence Zone – Sunday July 25th at about 5PM?
JUNIOR CLAW CADET NO. 12 to be voted in soon! Check out Shawn Clayton

Show and Tell

Mark Brill has a new gay-furrydom time travel comic out. UNBELIEVABLE + ASTONISHING!
Stowe gave a preview of his latest SCATS web comic
VEX zine is interested in a CLAW collaboration… RR brought in his VEX zine collection. CLAW’S MESSAGE TO VEX: Show us the money! Minimum donation to CLAW Scholarship fund is $150.

SECRET CLAW CLOSING RITUAL: What are Robots? Robots are cool. Zombies must die! Shoot ‘em in the head! [1 CLAP] Beware the flying monkeys.

CLAW does 100 Monkey Photo Diary

RR Anderson — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 05:14:55 +0000

Some favorite photos from the 100 Monkey party courtesy of war photographer Derek Tong, huckster RR Anderson and Friend of CLAW Kevin F. Remembering the times. Oh, the times! (click to view larger img)

Purchase original cartoon mystery art!

RR Anderson is going to pump you up!

Mark Monlux can’t control his mind!

Stowe is merry

Ms. Stowe is kind

Business is brisk!

Derek and RR discuss photography in the field

Mr. Fusion wins hearts and minds

Jinxmedic and Jr. CLAW Cadet

Electric Elliot is a true patriot.

“I love cartooning!” ~ Anonymous

Mark Brill, Winner of Best Fez People’s Choice

Anique can’t stop drawing!

Adam M. Botsford owns the mean streets

Kevin.

Thorax O’ Tool aka Larry (Government Informant)

Stowe Signage

Ms. Darcy enjoys drinking

“Look at all these awesome cartoon fans!”

Art is selling like hot cakes!

Adam the Alien doing his thing

Ms. Fusion, bowler roadie

100 Monkeys was a Success!

MarkMonlux — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 15:53:34 +0000

http://www.flickr.com/photos/markmonlux/4729912345/in/photostream/

Everyone loved the cartoons at the 100 Monkeys

There was music, there was laughter, there were folks eagerly waiting to look inside their bags to see what their cartoon looked like. We are happy to report that all of the tiles sold out. We even sold a few extra that were drawn on location. Half the proceeds to the extras will go to the next 100 Monkeys and half to the CLAW Student Scholarship Fund. Thanks to everyone who participated and came together to make this happen! To see more photos of the event you can check out the CLAW flickr account here.

Sneak Peak at 100 Monkeys Tile #96

MarkMonlux — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 09:07:14 +0000

100 Monkeys #96 by Electric Elliot

Electric Elliot is CLAW member #1, one of the four founders of The CLAW.

Save the 100 Monkey, Eat the 100 Monkey

RR Anderson — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 05:31:01 +0000

YOU have a modest chance to own one of these simple doodles FOR ONLY $4 DOLLARS; thanks in part to the generous altruistic nature of once City Council Appointee Applicant, Political Cartoonist and Professional Male Model RR ANDERSON, in glorious MONOCHROME! Drawn, as it would appear, with his feet using a prismacolor marker. You cannot possibly criticize his whimsical (read: naive) drawing style because it’s HIS street-cred style. RR Anderson is a celebrity, so what you’re really buying here with your $4 dollars is buying-into the brand or life-style-choice philosophy of this gritty-Tacoma artist… not necessarily a “quality” art piece because “quality” is relative and all part of your perspective and so what i’m really saying is you are an asshole if you compare these drawing to the other CLAW cartoonists who have trained for years with pen and ink renderings. That’s just not what the idea of RR Anderson is about man.

100th Monkey Tacoma

Location:

The Stonegate
5421 S Tacoma Way
Tacoma, WA 98409

June 23rd 7:30 to 9:30.
Band: Mr. FUSION
Tile artist: THE CLAW

Bring food and beverage to ’share’ and measly $4 for collector art piece and support the monk

NO cost art community building

Sneak Peak at 100 Monkey #87

MarkMonlux — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 09:20:45 +0000

100 Monkey #87

Eleven of the one hundred monkeys were drawn by Mark Monlux, one of the four founders of CLAW, freelance illustrator extraordinairé, and the 2009 winner of The Golden Toonie. Will you be one of the lucky few who walks way with one of the monkeys?

Sneak Peek at Monkey Tiles #30 and #39

Stowe — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 14:18:09 +0000

Blatant Self-Promotions from CLAW Founder Mark Monlux

MarkMonlux — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 14:16:21 +0000

I want to thank Adam Manley and Joe Izenman for helping me with this noble masterpiece.

OMG–it’s like watching the love child of Monlux & Stowe!

Briller — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 20:39:49 +0000

Jim Woodring Documentary Preview

MarkMonlux — Sat, 29 May 2010 13:46:27 +0000

As part of STIFF 2010 (Seattle’s True Independent Film Festival) a documentary on Jim Woodring entitled “The Lobster and the Liver: The Unique World of Jim Woodring” will be shown. This is a preview.

Comic Critic by Mark Monlux: Next Frost Park Chalk Off Sponsor

RR Anderson — Fri, 28 May 2010 03:38:06 +0000

[fig. 1: comic critic by Mark Monlux - Book of Movie Reviews in Cartoon Format]

From his announcement on FeedTacoma.com:

I would like to announce that I, the grand and glorious Mark Monlux, will be sponsoring next week Chalk Challenge.

FIRST PRIZE will be a signed and personalized copy of my first book (fig. 1).

SECOND PRIZE will be the sloppy seconds Princess Leia Bobblehead.

It’s true I coveted the Princess Leia Bobblehead and, after beating Adam the Alien in a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors to break our tie, I enjoyed taking her home. But it just hasn’t worked out between us. Rather than enjoying her on the shelf, I’ve been keeping her in a bag behind the fireplace. In all honesty, she is just a wee bit creepy. So she will be up on the block next week as second place.

FROST PARK CHALK OFF!

12 – 1 PM, 9th and Commerce St. Downtown Tacoma!
FREE CHALK, COMMUNITY EVENT

CLAW Open Swim: “Sell this Reboot!”

RR Anderson — Wed, 26 May 2010 19:51:00 +0000

UPDATE:

Space Invaders the Summer Blockbuster (winning entry by Mark Monlux)

Stowe – Second Place

Adam – Steam Punk Mario Brothers (Second Place)

Mark Brill -

McWars by Thorax -

Anique “Moby Dick and Monster Trucks”

SpeedRunner! (Junior Guest CLAW Cadets)

Jihadfield by RR

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Join the CLAW tonight at 7:30 PM at Mandolin Cafe’s back room! This week’s OPEN SWIM cartoonists game activity will be to REBOOT any intellectual property; making it appealing to today’s audiences with their cynical, post post modernist world views AND pitch the TV show/comic/movie to the group who votes on the best one.

ACTION STEPS:

1 . split into teams

2. pick your character franchise that could really use a reboot.

3. DRAW DRAW DRAW! (Transformer Babies? Lego Garfield Video Game? Family Circus with Zombies? Fraggle Emo?)

4. Make your pitch. Sell it!

Adam M Botsford is CLAW NO. 11

RR Anderson — Thu, 13 May 2010 06:40:22 +0000

Please welcome Adam M Botsford. He is our first Young Cartoonist of the Future Scholarship winner way back from 2009, fellow Frost Park Chalkie, and now a full fledged member of CLAW making him FEZ NUMBER ELEVEN! Here are some photos from tonights secret initiation ritual:

see more of our cartoonist absurdity in our flickr pool.

CLAW Does Poetry? YES! CLAW Does!

Electric Elliot — Thu, 06 May 2010 19:50:35 +0000

On April 28th, 2010, CLAW member #1, Electric Elliot, was joined by #3 Mark Monlux at Mouths & Mics: Poetry in the 253. The event took place in the Washington State History Museum and featured 7 fantastic poets from across the 253.

CLAW has obtained footage from the event, shot by Adam the Alien, which featured Electric Elliot and Mark Monlux’s collaboration in which Mark’s art compliments Elliot’s poem “Up, Up and Away”. Check out footage from the entire event over @ The Melon, and see more Electric Elliot poetry @ ElliotTrotterCOM.

CLAW vs. Wayzgoose 2010

RR Anderson — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 04:39:26 +0000

The CLAW attached itself to the fleshy underbelly of the old Tacoma war horse named Waysgoose–a celebration of crusty letter press professionals and hobbyists. Mark Monlux was on hand to sell heaps of his latest book “The Comic Critic” which is a collection of his most favorite erotic foreign films. Mark Brill (Mark 9) was also on hand selling his illustrated Magic Cards. Butt-loads of people also picked up back issues of the CLAW newsletter: CLAW-Tu Morraddiaa Neepitu. RR Anderson also made an appearance selling spirit-gum capture portraits, but mostly ate $1 ice cream.

Beautiful Angle was there also Anagram Press… but the vast majority or bulk of the travellers where there to see CLAW. You could just see the disappointment and intense jealousy in the faces of our table/booth floor show competitors.

“Mommy look FEZ!” or “Wow they have FEZ!” is pretty much what everyone was saying the whole time. Right before they fell over in disbelief of our amazing illustration skills.

Thanks to everyone who came down to Kings Books in Tacoma!

The CLAW Report for March 2010

MarkMonlux — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 03:36:40 +0000

The CLAW, while founded by a bunch of guys, extremely pasty white guys, was meant to be a secret organization, but never a fraternal one. However it remained one as our pasty ranks swelled, in number that is, until the highly coveted tenth member position became available. And who would become the mysterious member X? The CLAW is very proud to announce Anique Zimmer as its newest inductee into its most hallowed ranks. Congratulations, Anique, you signed “The Pact You Were Better Off Not Signing” and are now a talon of The CLAW!

As decided through a random drawing, the theme for the Open Swim in March was “Win, Lose, or CLAW!” Two teams, the Whites and the Blacks, pitted their pens and their wits against each other to draw such things as: Amish Crab, Aroma of Tacoma, Potato Canon, Hailey’s Comet, Nazi Camel, and Sheep Running in Fear (to name only a few). But in the end the much coveted basket of spoils went to the Whites. Keep an eye on the CLAW just subscribe to the RSS feed, or our email and and you will learn what’s planned for the next CLAW Open Swim. CLAW Open Swim meetings are open to the public at 7:30 PM on the 4th Wednesday of each month, at the beautiful Mandolin Café, 3923 S. 12th St., Tacoma 98405.

WANTED: Cartoonist Gary Larson

RR Anderson — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 07:00:11 +0000

The CLAW has voted to appropriate an annual accumulating $10 fund to be awarded as BOUNTY to the CLAW Member who sponsors world famous recluse and Seattle cartoonist GARY LARSON to attend a future End of the Year CLAW CEREMONIAL DINNER. The extreme unlikelihood of GARY LARSON actually attending anything should, with time, grow the GARY LARSON BOUNTY into a sizable sum. Good Luck seekers!

RR's MS Paint Parody of Far Side Cartoon Art

Remember the Far Side?

CLAW’s January Open Swim – Wednesday, 27th @ 7:30 – Theme: Robots

MarkMonlux — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:03:09 +0000

The CLAW (Cartoonists League of Absurd Washingtonians) will be having their Open Swim this Wednesday evening. The high and mighty council of the Four Eyes has decreed that each open swim will have a theme for attendees to participate in, if they so choose. This month’s theme: Robots! Drawings will be judged by all those attending, with the WINNER being announced. The Open Swim is for both member and non-members. Anyone who wants to be part of the festivities is welcomed. Besides the usual hijinks of doodling and preparing the path for the robotic overlords, there just might be a secret ceremony performed. The time and location are:

Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. January. 27th 2009
The Mandolin Café
3923 S 12th St
Tacoma, WA 98405
(In the New and Improved back room, to the left of the performance stage.)
RSVP if you can, space is limited. Feel free to bring a friend, but as this is an adult only event, no kids.

Briller — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 22:02:30 +0000

Stowe's Birthday Blowout...maybe that's not a good title.

Hey James–I can’t make it tonight, but here’s wishing you the best of luck and all the Pepto you need!

Mark 9

Beer and Comics

RR Anderson — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 04:41:36 +0000

I was hired by an Alaska-based brewing company from my home town of Juneau a few years back. The idea was to combine the accessibility of a funny-pages comic strip with the sex appeal of drinking beer.

The highly experimental, outdoor adventure comic strips below were developed and ultimately abandoned for a more traditional marketing campaign. Click the strips below to read!

So much for that idea…

They were $ fun $ to draw nevertheless.

The Great & Glorious Flag of The CLAW!

Briller — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 22:33:44 +0000

#9's Consept Art For The CLAW Flag

Here’s my idea for a flag for The CLAW! I envision it made of nice, thick material with the design elements made of cut out and painted felt! Ooooo. It will be nice to have on display at events where CLAW is represented, and besides–we ca’t take over the world for Our Robot Overlords without a flag! Just isn’t done!

A Seattle Art Magazine [CITY ARTS TACOMA] declares Tacoma’s Top Comic, TRUE GRIT

RR Anderson — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 04:32:35 +0000

Jeremy Gregory’s frightening cartoon True Grit has been recognized by City Arts as Tacoma’s top comic on the new City Arts Blog (aka CAB):

“Since City Arts went monthly in July 2008, we’ve showcased one of our best Tacoma discoveries, artist Jeremy Gregory, in his own monthly alternative comic, now titled True Grit. It explores the infamously gritty side of Tacoma’s identity in Gregory’s unique color pencil style, which takes him hours to complete by hand.”

True Grit Parody using MS Paint by RR Anderson

Read the full story with slideshow. You can’t afford to miss!